Elgin

It was an August morning in 2014 when Greek archaeologist Tatiana Poulou walked across the gardens to the entrance of Broomhall House, the family seat of the earls of Elgin in Scotland. "I was nervous, I admit. I was about to study his unpublished archive and the only thing I was interested in was the historical truth - whatever it may be," she tells Kathimerini nearly a decade later.

It was no ordinary breakfast gathering. In June 1808, Sir Anthony Carlisle, a surgeon and leading member of London's elite, had prepared a surprise for his all-male, art-loving toffish guests, taking them to a room where boxing champion Bob Gregson stood posed like an exhibit.

A moot court is aspiring to test legal arguments, and become a model for future legal actions, on the issue of the ownership of the Parthenon Sculptures and the fact that Lord Elgin did not pay customs taxes for the import of the Parthenon Sculptures.

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak ruled out changing a law which prohibits the British Museum handing the Parthenon marbles permanently back to Greece.

Sunak said there are no plans to amend the legislation, which states the museum can only dispose of objects within its collection in limited circumstances. However, the museum could still arrange a loan of the sculptures.

The chairperson of the British Museum has said is it "worth trying" to work with Greece to see if the Parthenon Sculptures "can be seen both in London and Athens, while treasures currently in Greece could be seen by new audiences here." 

A long-running dispute between Britain and Greece over ancient treasures has spilled into tensions over Brexit after a demand for the return of stolen cultural artefacts was added to the draft of a European Union negotiating mandate.

Greece will step up its campaign for the return of the Parthenon Marbles from Britain and expects to win more support from European peers as Brexit sees British influence wane, the Greek culture minister said.

A Guardian newspaper columnist has suggested Britain should return the Parthenon Marbles to Greece as part of the Brexit deal.

A Guardian newspaper columnist has suggested Britain should return the Parthenon Marbles to Greece as part of the Brexit deal.

The Ministry of Culture and Sports has denied a report published in Britain's Independent newspaper Tuesday that it had called for the return of the Parthenon Marbles, also known as the Elgin Marbles, from the British Museum as a symbolic gesture against anti-democratic forces that seek "the dissolution of Europe."